Equipment for milking

ABSTRACT

A cow milking equipment comprises a rotable annular platform continuously rotated at a constant speed by a suitable motor and is provided with a plurality of stall angulated relative to a radial direction, for accomodating a cow that is to be milked, so as to enable the animal to enter and exit from the stall always passing over the outer peripheral edge of the platform.

United States Patent [191 Ciribelli EQUIPMENT FOR MILKING [76] inventor:Giorgio Ciribelli, Via Privata Penza 6, Milan, Italy [22] Filed: Sept.1, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 176,996

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 11, 1970 Italy 29622 A/70[52] U.S. Cl. ll9/14.04 [51] Int. Cl. A0lj 5/00 [58] Field of Searchl19/l4.03, 14.04

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,305,259 12/1942 Jefi'ers,Sr. 119/1404 Aug. 14, 1973 3,095,854 7/1963 Bott et al. l l9/l4.043,116,713 l/l964 Darling 3,30l,2l5 l/l967 Shakarian .r ll9/l4.03 X

Primary Examiner-Russell R. Kinsey Assistant Examiner.l. N. EskovitzAttomey-Stepno & Neilan 57] ABSTRACT A cow milking equipment comprises arotable annular platform continuously rotated at a constant speed by asuitable motor and is provided with a plurality of stall angulatedrelative to a radial direction, for accomodating a cow that is to bemilked, so as to enable the animal to enter and exit from the stallalways passing over the outer peripheral edge of the platform.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Pmmw we 1 4w GIORGIO CIRIBELLI BY STEPNO 0ndNEILAN ATTORNEYS EQUIPMENT FOR MILKING This invention relates to anequipment for automatically and successively milking a plurality of cowsthat, during the entire milking operation, are transported on a rotatingplatform between entrance and exit positions from the platform.

Many automatic equipments are known, but suffer from the drawback ofbeing bulky or capable of accomodating a comparatively reduced number ofcows to be milked. Moreover, these equipments require complicated andexpensive supporting and guiding structures and also make it difficultfor the animals to enter on and exit from the platform.

Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide animproved equipment for cow milking, which is free of the disadvantagesassociated with the equipments of the prior art which, whilefacilitating the animal entrance and exit for the milking operation, iscapable of allowing concurrent milking of a comparatively higher numberof animals.

The milking equipment according to the invention essentially comprises arotating annular platform having a plurality of stalls, each of whichsuitable to accomodate a cow while being milked by propermilkingequipment, and operating means for rotating said platform at a constantspeed, such that a milking cycle can be completed during a fullrevolution of the platform, the equipment being characterized in that onthe platform the stalls are arranged at an angle relative to apredetermined radial direction, so that each of the stalls are angulatedat such an angle to enable a cow to enter and exit from its associatedstall always passing over the outer peripheral edge of the platform. Theequipment also comprises a number of milking outfits carried under theplatform sufficient for milking as many cows as the stalls.

The invention will be better understood from the following description,given by way of example, with reference to the appended drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a top schematic diagram showing a milking equipment accordingto the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic side and partly sectional view showing theequipment in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the milking equipmentaccording to the invention substantially comprises an annular platform 1rotatably carried by a central upright 2 which is secured to a base 2'suitable to rest on the ground. At the top this rotating platform I hasa plurality of stalls 3 for accomodating as many cows to be milked andan outer board 4 for the operator, the board 4 being supported bypedestals 5 and provided with a guard 6.

In the embodiment shown, the platform 1 comprises three concentriccircular C-sectioned beams designated by 7, 8 and 9, respecitvely whichare connected by eight radial beams 10 which at the inner end thereofare secured to a tubular element ll for pivoting the platform to saidupright 2. At the upper end of element 11 a thrust bearing 12 isprovided for the axial thrust and at the lower end a centering bronzebushing (not shown in the drawings) is provided. Radial tie rods 13,connected to the upper end of the tubular element 11 and radial beams10, respectively, enable to stiffen and reinforce the platformstructure.

Similarly, the base 2 is stiffened by means of radial tie rods 14 whichare secured by the lower end thereof to said base 2' and by the upperend thereof to a collar 15 surrounding the upright 2.

As clearly shown in FIG. 2, each stall 3 is angulated relative to aradial direction. More particularly, on the inner peripheral edge of therotating platform I an enclosure is formed and substantially comprisestubular stanchions 16 which at the lower end thereof are. suitablysecured to the rotating platform 1 and carry at the upper end thereof atubular element substantially of a star-likeconfiguration having tubularsections 17 and 18 subsequent to one another and differently oriented todefine said stalls 3.

Each section 17 comprising the inner side is arranged lengthwise of thestall, while each section 18 is arranged substantially transversely ofthe stall and comprises the front side or portion against which theanimal rests with its chest during milking operation. In FIG. 1, thesections 17 and 18 corresponding to a stall are at an angle of about toeach other, but this angle could be greater or smaller than thatmentioned, such as in the range of 70 provided it will allow for entryand exit from the outer peripheral edge of the platform of the cowsproperly in columns in the entrance passages 19 and exit passages 20(FIG. 1).

As clearly shown in FIG. 1, each inner side l7 arranged lengthwise of astall makes a predetermined inner angle a with the radius intersectingthe angle between the sides 17 and 18 of each stall 3, so that an animalis accomodated on the platform at a correspondingly oriented position.In the particular embodiment shown, this angle a is about 120, but it isapparent that the seats could be differently inclined making an angle aranging between 95 and Thus, at the same overall plan size of a knowntype of rotating platform, a higher amount of stalls can be provided. Ofcourse, the inclination of the several stalls and hence the amountthereof is varied according to the rotating platform size, a higheramount of stalls being obtainable on a larger-sized platform. However,the stall inclination should always be such as to facilitate the entryand exit for the cows across the outer peripheral edge of the rotatingplatform, as above stated.

Beneath the rotating platform 1 and at each of the stalls 3, a per seknown type of milking device 21 is provided and suitably connected toa'piping system for vacuum and milk transport, this system beingschematically shown in FIG. 2, but not described in detail.

The operation of such an equipment can be readily summarized as follows:the cows in columns along the passage 19 move onto the platfonn l whichis continuously rotated in the direction of arrow 22 by an apparatus(not shown), each of the cows being accomodated in a stall previouslycleared off by a cow that had completed its milking cycle and had movedthrough the passage 20. The positioned animal is then supplied with themilking device and the milking operation is completed during a fullrevolution of the'platform.

From the foregoing and as shown in the drawings, it will then beappreciated that a milking equipment has been provided which, at a samesize and hence at a same overall plan size enables the provision of agreater number of stalls thus allowing higher efficiency for the wholemilking operation.

It should be also specified that each of the stalls can be fitted at thetop of its longitudinal side 6 with a swiveling door 23 for preventingan animal from troubling with its head, or being troubled byan adjoininganimal.

The door control can be made automatic, so as to facilitate the animal'sexit at the end of milking operation.

What is claimed is:

l. Milking apparatus for dairy cows comprising a base having a centralupright support member,

an annular platform rotatably disposed upon said upright support member,

a stationary walkway disposed about the outer periphery of saidrotatable platform and coplanar therewith,

an entrance ramp and an exit ramp adjacent thereto,

said entrance ramp and said exit ramp being contiguous said walkway,

a planar star-shaped guide rail mounted to said annular platform insuperposition with the inner periphery thereof,

said star-shaped guide rail being formed of a plurality of contiguousfirst and second rail sections defining the front and inner sides,respectively, of a like plurality of milking stalls, each disposed at anangle with respect to a radius of said annular platform through theintersection of said front and side rails wherbeby said front railsupports the head of each cow adjacent the inner periphery of saidplatform and said side rail maintains the cow at a preselected angle.

2. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and secondrail sections defining each stall are disposed at an angle of aboutrelative each other and each of said second rail sections are disposedat an angle in the range of about to relative to a radius intersectingthe inner end thereof.

3. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first railsections is disposed on the side of its respective stall adjacent saidentrance ramp and each of said second rail sections is disposed on theside of its respective stall adjacent said exit ramp whereby cows enteronto said platform and exit from said platform without crossing paths.

4. The invention as recited in claim 1 further including a plurality ofswiveling doors mounted adjacent each stall to isolate each cow frominterference with an adjacent animal.

S. The invention as recited in claim 1, further including a plurality ofmilking devices associated with each stall and mounted to the undersideof said annular platform.

1. Milking apparatus for dairy cows cOmprising a base having a centralupright support member, an annular platform rotatably disposed upon saidupright support member, a stationary walkway disposed about the outerperiphery of said rotatable platform and coplanar therewith, an entranceramp and an exit ramp adjacent thereto, said entrance ramp and said exitramp being contiguous said walkway, a planar star-shaped guide railmounted to said annular platform in superposition with the innerperiphery thereof, said star-shaped guide rail being formed of aplurality of contiguous first and second rail sections defining thefront and inner sides, respectively, of a like plurality of milkingstalls, each disposed at an angle with respect to a radius of saidannular platform through the intersection of said front and side railswherbeby said front rail supports the head of each cow adjacent theinner periphery of said platform and said side rail maintains the cow ata preselected angle.
 2. The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein saidfirst and second rail sections defining each stall are disposed at anangle of about 90* relative each other and each of said second railsections are disposed at an angle in the range of about 95* to 125*relative to a radius intersecting the inner end thereof.
 3. Theinvention as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first rail sectionsis disposed on the side of its respective stall adjacent said entranceramp and each of said second rail sections is disposed on the side ofits respective stall adjacent said exit ramp whereby cows enter ontosaid platform and exit from said platform without crossing paths.
 4. Theinvention as recited in claim 1 further including a plurality ofswiveling doors mounted adjacent each stall to isolate each cow frominterference with an adjacent animal.
 5. The invention as recited inclaim 1, further including a plurality of milking devices associatedwith each stall and mounted to the underside of said annular platform.